Home gyms have become a necessity for some since Covid-19. Some have fancy setups with tons of weights and setups for specific muscle groups, Peloton, rowers, etc.
Others have taken to following along on their Apple TV or YouTube workouts.
I’ve found that simplicity works best for me, leading to more consistency and enjoyment. I keep my home workouts focused on bodyweight, and here are the tools I use:
- Pull up bar
- Jump rope (speed rope, 1lb, 2lbs ropes)
- Gymnastic rings
- Exercise ball
- Yoga mat
That’s it.
I didn’t buy them all at once. In fact, I usually get a new piece of equipment every 6-8 months, on an as-needed basis.
I try to focus on the basic movements- push, pull, compound leg, which is a complete workout, exercising almost every muscle group. I generally try to do 3 sets to failure/near failure and complete my entire workout in about 15 minutes.
- Vertical push (hand stand against a wall and push up/down)
- Vertical pull (feet on exercise ball, pull up using rings)
- Horizontal push (push up)
- Horizontal pull (standard pull-up)
- Squats
You’ll reach exhaustion quicker than you think. And there are plenty of ways to increase intensity as your strength increase. I try to go very slowly and keep my form up.